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Edited by: Fern Sidman
UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency) has faced grave allegations involving its employees in aiding and abetting Hamas attacks against Israel. According to a recently published report in the New York Times, the accusations, outlined in a dossier provided to the United States government by Israel, paint a troubling picture of UNRWA workers involved in heinous acts including kidnapping, supplying ammunition, and participating in the October 7th massacre.
According to the dossier, which was reviewed by The New York Times, Israel claims that a dozen UNRWA employees played roles in the October 7th Hamas attacks or their aftermath. These actions prompted the firing of several UNRWA employees after the organization was briefed on the accusations. However, specifics about the allegations remained scant until the dossier surfaced.
The severity of the accusations prompted twelve countries, including the United States, to suspend aid payments to UNRWA, the NYT report said.
Israeli authorities assert that UNRWA workers aided Hamas in staging the attack that catalyzed the Gaza war, resulting in the brutal murders of 1200 Israelis and others and the abduction of over 240 people. Today, 136 Israeli hostages remain in Hamas captivity in Gaza. As was noted in the NYT report, UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed horror at the accusations and emphasized the dismissal of twelve of the accused employees. He appealed to nations to reconsider their aid suspension, highlighting UNRWA’s substantial role as a major employer in Gaza.
While UNRWA acknowledged the allegations and the dismissal of some employees, it stated that it couldn’t provide further details pending an investigation by the UN’s Office of Internal Oversight Services, as per the NYT report. Western officials, briefed on the dossier, acknowledged the allegations but couldn’t independently verify them. Nonetheless, the United States deemed the claims credible enough to justify suspending aid.
The New York Times corroborated the identity of one accused UNRWA employee through social media profiles. The Israeli dossier, presented to US officials, contains the names, job positions, and specific allegations against the UNRWA workers involved.
Israeli intelligence tracked the movements of several accused individuals within Israel and monitored their phone conversations discussing involvement in the Hamas attack, according to information provided in the NYT report. Additionally, some employees allegedly received text messages instructing them to report to muster points on the day of the attack, with one allegedly asked to bring rocket-propelled grenades from his home.
According to the Wall Street Journal report on Monday, the intelligence reports suggest that approximately 1,200 out of UNRWA’s 12,000 employees in Gaza have ties to Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, with around half having close relatives affiliated with them.
Both Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad are internationally designated terrorist organizations, a classification that adds gravity to the allegations against UNRWA. Hamas has been in control of Gaza since a coup in 2007.
According to a senior Israeli government official, the issue extends beyond a few individuals involved in specific incidents, such as the October 7 massacre. The report in the WSJ said that the official claims that UNRWA as a whole serves as a haven for the radical ideology of Hamas, indicating a systemic problem within the organization.
UNRWA, in response to these allegations, has remained tight-lipped, with a spokesperson declining to comment, as was noted in the WSJ report. The agency has cited an ongoing internal U.N. investigation into the matter.
The intelligence reports categorize UNRWA employees with ties to terror groups as “operatives,” implying active involvement in the organizations’ military or political frameworks. Notably, the report indicates that 23% of UNRWA’s male employees have ties to Hamas, a percentage higher than the average of 15% for adult males in Gaza, according to the information provided in the WSJ report. This statistic suggests a higher level of politicization within UNRWA compared to the general population.
Moreover, the reports reveal that nearly half of all UNRWA employees, approximately 49%, have close relatives with official ties to terrorist groups, particularly Hamas, as was indicated in the WSJ report. This interconnectedness raises concerns about the agency’s independence and neutrality.
Survivors of the October 7th attacks have recounted harrowing experiences, with reports suggesting that certain UNRWA staff members were directly involved in acts of murder, wielding weapons, and killing people. According to information provided in a New York Post report on Monday, David Bedein, from Israel’s Center for Near East Policy Research, revealed that some UNRWA staff members killed children in front of their parents during the gruesome attacks, leaving indelible scars on the victims and their families.
According to reports, seven out of the 12 identified UN employees-turned-terrorists held positions as elementary and high school teachers within the agency. Approximately three-quarters of UNRWA’s local Gaza staff are reportedly teachers, the Post report said.
Among the accused UNRWA staff members were two math teachers and two Arabic language instructors, with one of the language teachers revealed to have a dual role as a terrorist commander. The Post reported that this individual participated in the October 7 massacre at Kibbutz Be’eri.
Further revelations include a UNRWA social worker who distributed ammunition, coordinated vehicles, and transported the body of a dead Israeli soldier back to Gaza, the Post report said. This particular staff member, identified as a terrorist, was reportedly killed during the conflict.
The dossier also details the involvement of a school counselor from southern Gaza, collaborating with his son to abduct a woman who became one of the hostages taken by Hamas terrorists on the fateful day. Other shocking findings include a math teacher affiliated with Hamas who took a photo of a female hostage and a UNRWA staffer who established an operations room for Islamic Jihad the day after the massacre.
In the aftermath of the October 7th attack and amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, UNRWA has positioned itself as a vocal critic of the impact of the fighting on the Palestinian population. The report in the WSJ said that the agency reports that at least 152 of its staff have lost their lives in the conflict.
These revelations have cast a shadow over UNRWA’s operations, raising questions about the agency’s vetting processes and the potential exploitation of its resources for nefarious purposes. Ten UNRWA employees were members of Hamas. The report in the NYT said that another employee was said to be affiliated with the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group.
The most detailed accusations within the dossier centered around a school counselor from Khan Younis in southern Gaza. This individual is accused of collaborating with his son to abduct a woman from Israel. According to the NYT report, another case involved a social worker from Nuseirat in central Gaza, accused of assisting in bringing the body of a dead Israeli soldier to Gaza, distributing ammunition, and coordinating vehicles on the day of the attack.
These allegations are unfolding against a backdrop of long-standing tensions between Israel and UNRWA. Since 1949, the agency has purportedly provided essential aid to Palestinian refugees displaced during the wars surrounding the creation of Israel. Criticism, particularly from many Israelis, contends that UNRWA obstructs conflict resolution. Critics argue that the agency’s existence impedes the integration of Palestinian refugees into new communities and nurtures their aspirations of returning to what is now Israel—a goal that Israel staunchly opposes, as was indicated in the NYT report. Additionally, Israel asserts that UNRWA in Gaza has come under the influence of Hamas, a claim the agency refutes.
The influence of UNRWA on Palestinian education is a contentious aspect, with credible accusations of promoting hatred towards Israel and Jews as well as directing their hostility towards them. Well founded concerns have arisen over UNRWA’s role in indoctrinating the children of Gaza with extreme nationalistic rhetoric as well as the incessant promotion of virulent anti-Semitism. Historic examples, such as Palestinian children reciting an anthem emphasizing a violent return, highlight a problematic trend that persists to this day.
UNRWA school textbooks contain many examples of indoctrination against Israel and also contain veneration of terrorists.
Textbooks omit recognition of Israel school maps omit the existence of Israel. School books exclude any connection between the Jews and the land of Israel. It also appears that refugees are being primed for combat. UNRWA summer camps actually give young “campers “paramilitary training, preparing for future war with the Jews. The goal is the “right of return”, is to bring Arab populations to cities and towns like Lod, Ashdod, Jaffa, and Ashkelon, which were populated by Arabs who left or fled in 1948 when Arab armies attacked the newborn Jewish state and whose leaders assured them that they would return to their homes when the Jews were defeated.
The advocacy group UN Watch, enumerated on how teachers in UNRWA schools express support for terrorism and Palestinian terrorist groups, and indoctrinate students to violence. On July 15, 2022, Hillel Neuer, director of UN Watch tweeted that UN Watch has “easily identified 120 UNRWA teachers, school principles and other employees who praise Hitler, glorify terrorist attacks and spread snit-Semitism.” UN Watch decried the, “exploitation of children as child soldiers” as a “form of child abuse and a violation of international law.”
One glaring issue is UNRWA’s refugee registration system, which has seen the number of refugees skyrocket from the original 750,000 to a staggering 5.9 million. This exponential increase, primarily attributed to its expansive definition of refugee status, raises serious questions about the agency’s objectives and sustainability. The irony is exemplified by Jordan, the country with the highest concentration of registered refugees at two million. Despite the majority being Jordanian citizens, they are still categorized as refugees, highlighting the absurdity of UNRWA’s approach.
To maintain its relevance, UNRWA employs a dubious refugee definition, explicitly stating that it “does not afford refugee status under the 1951 Geneva Convention.” Instead, the agency operates based on a self-crafted definition that determines eligibility for services and assistance. This strategic maneuvering allows UNRWA to continue its operations without adhering to internationally recognized refugee conventions.
The perpetuation of such a system not only raises ethical concerns but also impedes the path to a sustainable resolution for the Palestinian refugee crisis. By maintaining an inflated refugee count and perpetuating a narrative that contradicts the international standards set by the Geneva Convention, UNRWA risks becoming an obstacle rather than a catalyst for a lasting solution.
Recent reports from Israeli sources, including the Telegram news channel Abu Ali Express, reveal disturbing instances of UNRWA schools incorporating art projects that glorify terrorists. The juxtaposition of landmarks like the Dome of the Rock with images of infamous figures like Osama Bin Laden raises serious questions about the agency’s educational content and its clear impact on fostering a culture of violence.
The historical context is essential, as UNRWA has faced financial threats before. The Trump administration suspended aid to UNRWA due to their association with such terror groups as Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
However, the recent suspensions of funding for UNRWA threaten to plunge the region into further turmoil. Unlike other United Nations agencies, UNRWA lacks a strategic financial reserve, making it susceptible to immediate impacts from funding cuts, the report in the NYT said. UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that services could face reductions as early as February, underscoring the urgency of the situation.
Philippe Lazzarini, the agency’s commissioner-general, condemned the funding suspensions, emphasizing the catastrophic consequences they could entail. Lazzarini labeled the sanctions as immensely irresponsible, especially amid ongoing conflicts and political crises in the region, as was indicated in the NYT report. He stressed that the lives of Gaza’s residents depend on UNRWA’s support, highlighting its crucial role in maintaining regional stability.
While acknowledging UNRWA’s purported humanitarian role, the State Department announced the suspension of funding pending assessments of the allegations against the agency’s employees and its response to them. Meanwhile, Israeli officials expressed concerns about the potential repercussions of their accusations. The NYT report said that they feared that a collapse in aid delivery to Gaza could compel Israel to assume a greater role in aid distribution, a responsibility it seeks to avoid.
The timing of the accusations against UNRWA employees coincided with an interim ruling from the International Court of Justice regarding accusations of genocide leveled against Israel by South Africa. The NYT report said that the court ordered Israel to take measures to prevent acts of genocide by its forces in Gaza and to facilitate the entry of more aid into the territory.
